joseph b



J. B- GRAHAM AND R. LA FRANCE. APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING MOLTEN GLASS.APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1918- L 35 4148 9 Patented Aug. 24, 1.920.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

J. B. GRAHAM AND R. LA FRANCE. APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING MOLTEN GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 19 18.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

INVENTOR J. B. GRAHAM AND R. LA FRANCE. APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING MOLTENGLASS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. l9l8.

1 50,448. Patented; Aug. 24, 192A 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l m LU 1 1 mvENmw r T (all who 11bit may concern UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE,

JOSEPH B. GRAHAM; 0F EVANSVILLE; INDIANA, AND RICHARD LA FRANCE, 0]?

TOLEDO, 01110, ASSIGNORS 'ro THE swims BOTTLE 1VIACHINE COMPANY; orTOLED0,0HIO,AGOBPORATIO1\TOF oHIo.

.AI PARATUS FOR CONVEYING MOLTEN GLASS.

Be it known that we,'Josnr1-r B. GRAHAM,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in the county,of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, and R-IOi-IARD LA FRANCE, a citizenof the United states reisiding at Toledo, in the county of Lucas andState of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Conveying Molten Glass, of whichthe following is a specification. J

Our invention relates to apparatus particularly designed fortransferring gobs or A charges of molten glassfrom the gob formingapparatus to molds on a pressing or blowing'machine. i i I It is old inthe art tosupply glass in a continuous stream from a melting furnace andsegregate the stream into individual masses or charges which are droppeddirectly into forming molds or otherwise transferred to the inolds. Thelatter are usually arranged on a rotary mold table of a glass formingmachine, so thatthe molds are brought successivelyinto position toreceive the charges. 7 v v An object of the present invention is toprovide an improved form of apparatus by which a single stream of glassmay supply a plurality of forming machines, the successive chargesbeingdirected alternately to the molds of the two machines. Initstpreferred form a pair of-troughs or chutes are connected togetherand mounted to oscillate about a vertical axis to bring the chutesalternately into position to receive a charge or gob of .glass. Eachtrough delivers its charge to a stationary troughor chute along whichthe glass is conveyed to. the forming molds, there being one of saidstationary chutes for each machine. The oscillating troughs togetherform apswitch by which the gobs of glass are directed, and said switchis geared to beoperated in timed relationto'the gob forming apparatusand also to the rotary movements of the mold tables.

1 stopped) can then fall between the spaced chutes without comingincontact therewith.

I A locking device is provided to. hold the switch in neutral positionwhen-- ever it is desired to stop thesuppl-y of glass.

The :gobs :or streamlof- Specification of Letters Patent. P t t A -124',192 Ap licati onfi led April 17, le s. Serial No. 229,010. r

:Other features of the invention and the exact nature thereofwill appearmore fully hereinafter. i I In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus. 7

V Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation of the cam and connections foroscillating the switch.

'Fig. 3 is a the apparatus. I f

Fig. 1 is a detail elevation showing a locking device to hold the switchin neutral position. 7 F1g. 5 IS a plan view showing thetrain of gearsbetween the forming machines and the transfer apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a worm drive. The glass may besupphed in acontlnuous part sectional side elevation of stream through aflow-opening in thebot- V tomof a boot or extension 10 of a'continuousmelting furnace. Theglass fiowsinto, a sectional cup '11 directlybeneath the flow opening, and when enough has accumulated in the cup toform a charge or gob,the cup sections are separated, permitting the gobtO'dIOP onto a chute 12 directly beneath the} cup. The cup sections arethen brought to gether and a knife 13 swings across the open bottom ofthe cup to sever the discharged V gob from the oncoming stream. Theknife 13 is carried on a rock arm 14 actuatedby a cam 15 on acontinuously rotating vertical drive shaft 16. The latter also carries acam 17 operable through suitable connections to open and close the cup11. "The gob forming mechanism in itself forms no part of the presentinvention. The construction chute directly beneath the cup 11. The gobof glass when dropped on a chute 12 moves rapidly down the chute andonto a stationary trough-or chute 20 in alinement therewith. The planeof thechute 12 may be somewhat higher than that of the chute 20 tocompensate for the slight drop due to gravityas the gob jumps from onechute to the next. is a funnel or guide 21 through which the gob isdirected into a"mold'22zdirectly"be neath the mouth of the funnel. Thesection 21 is also slightly' steppedbelow the trough The upper end ofthe trough 12 is glancing blow so that its rapid" downward movement isnot retarded, and the gob of soft'glassis not flattened out as it wouldbe by striking the troughsquarely. The gob slides rapidly down thesectional chute com prising the sections 12, 20 and 21. The section'12',as shown, is provided with a' compartment 23 in which a cooling liquidmay be circulated if found necessary or desirable. Ordinarily, however,the glass 'is in contact'with the chute for such a brief inter val thatthe heating of the conveying surface is'n'ot'excessivc. The use of twochutes which are only brought in contact Withalter'nate gobs of glass,further reduces the heating effect. Oli theother' hand, it may be anadvantage at times to" provide means forflheating' the trough to therebyprevent chilling'of the gobi I 'The' machines 24 on which the glassarticles are formed, are 'each'provided with. molds 22 arranged in acircle on the mold table. The'mold table may be rotated step by step tobring the molds 22 successively into receiving position beneath thechute 21.

Theforming machines 2 1, thegob forming.

apparatus and the transfer mechanism are all driven from a continuouslyrunning motor M (Fig. 5). The motor is connected through gears 25 to asectional dr'ive shaft 27. A clutch 2B is provided between the motor andthe shaft, so that the machines may be stopped independently ofthemotor.

The power is transmitted from the slia'ft27 throi'ighbevel gears 28"and29; a flexible shaft 30 and drive 31 to the mechanism for drivin themachine A- similar train of gearing is provided between-the shaft 27for" oscillating thechutes 12. Mounted on the shaft 3t is a' squaredbearing block 36 foi guiding a reciprocating rod'37,the latter formedwith'a guideway for the block 36; wrist on therod 3 7 runs in thecam'g'ro'ove so that the rod 37 is reciprocated' At the lower end of thechute 20' as the cam" rotates with-the shaftiia; At an intermediateposition on the rod 37 is a sleeve 10 slidable on the rod. A drivingconnection between the rod-37 and a rockarm or bracket-2 on the shaft 19ispro-vided by a pin 11 carried by; the sleeve l-O and:: engaging anelongated slot in the arm 12. sleeve 10 is heldinf its normal positionon the rod by coil springs e13 and, 4a. In the normaloperation, thesleeve 4L0 moves with the rod 37, but it may be locked in astationary"p0siti0n ,"'for-the purpose which will The presently appear,without interfering. with V the reciprocating movenientof the rod.

v .Vhen for any reason it is desired to temporarily' stop the feeding ofglass to the ma chines the switch may be locked in an intermediateposition without stopping'the drivin'g mechanism, thereby allowingtlie'glass to be discharged between the troughs 12'. This lockingmechanism comprises a locking bolt 15 guided in a vertical. socketv 4:6and moved to locking position by a'coil spring 47. The locking bolt whenmoved upwardly is adapted to enter a socket ,48 in thebracket 4:2. Thelocking bolt is normally held down by 'a bellcranklever 51 having an arm52 eXtending over'a pin 53 projecting from the locking bolt. The lever51 may engage behind a shoulder 50 (Fig. 1)'to hold the locking boltretracted. When the lever is released the locking bolt moves upwardagainst the said bracket reaches a central position so that the openingis brought in register with the locking bolt, the latter snaps int-0saidopening andlocksthe bracket, thereby locking therock' shaft 19 andholding the switch in its intermediate position. While the cam'sl'iaftcontinues to rotate, the rod 37 slides in'thc sleeve a0, therebyalternately compressing the springs'fiii and 44.

Motion is transmitted from the cam shaft 34 through gears and 55, andgearing within a 'casing'fi to the drive shaft 16' for actuating the gobforming mechanism. The apparatus, including the forming machines, gobforming mechanism andtransfer mechani'sm', is arranged and timed to.operate the several elements in their proper order of sequence and intimed relation to. secure the desired results. The gob forming apparatusis so timed with respect to-tlie movement of the mold tables that eachgob is discharged into amold'while the latter isstati'onary at thereceiving position. The'cam 35 so formed that the switch may beheld'stationary witheither trough '12 in receiving positi'on'while acharge of glass is being transmitted along said trough. The severalsections 12, 20 and 21 are individnally and relatively adjustablevertically to suit varying conditions-., The sections 20 and 21' arecarried on a bracket 57;verticallyadjustable on a standard 58. Adjustingrod s59, 60, screw under face of the bracket 42am assoon as i i threadedinto the bracket 57, permitadjustment of the section sections. I

Modificationsmay be rcsorted to within the spirit and scope of'ourinvention.

\Vhat we claim is: i l. The combinationwith means for discharging moltenglass, of a switch device comprising a plurality of means for receivingand directing the glass to different po-' sitions, said receiving anddirecting means being brought individually into operative position bythe movement of the switch, the latter having an intermediate positionpermitting the glass to be discharged independently of said receivingand directing means.

2. The combination with means for discharging molten glass, of a switchdevice comprising a plurality of means for receiving and directing theglass to different positions, said'receiving and directing means beingbrought individually into operative position by the movement of theswitch, automatic means for actuating the switch, and a locking devicefor holding the switch in a neutral position, intermediate saidoperative position, permitting the glass to be discharged independentlyof thevswitch.

3. The combination with means for supplying molten glass, of a switchdevice shiftable to different operative positions to receive the glassand direct it to corresponding positions, an actuator for said switchdevice, a lock to hold said device in a neutral position out of the pathof glass from said supplying means, and a yielding connection betweensaid switch device and. actuator, permitting the latter to continue itsoperation while the switch device is locked in said neutral position. V

4. The combination with means for sup-i plying charges of molten glass,a switch device comprising spaced troughs or chutes shiftablealternatively into position to receive the charges and direct them todifferent positions, means for operating the switch, and means to holdthe switch in neutral position in which the glass is discharged betweensald chutes.

5. The combination with means for supplying charges of molten glass, aswitch device comprising spaced troughs or chutes shifteblealternatively into position to receive the charges and direct them todifferent positions, a lock to hold the switch in a neutral position, adriving element, and a yieldable connection between the switch anddriving element, permitting continued operation of the latter while theswitch is locked.

6. The combination with means forsupplying charges of molten glass, aswitch by which the charges are directed alternately to differentpositions, a driving element, a

lock to hold the switch stationary, a yieldable driving connectionbetween the driving 20 relative to'the'other element and switch foractuating the latter and permitting the driving element't o operatewhilethe switch is locked.

7.- The combination with means for supplying charges of molten glass, oftransfer mechanism comprising a switch and means actuated by the switchto direct the charges alternately to diiferent positions, a cam, a rodreciprocated by the cam, a connecting device slidably mounted on therod, and

springs on saidrod through which power is transmitted to the switch foroscillating it,

said springs permitting the rod to recipro-r cate without actuating theswitch when the movement of the latter is obstructed.

8. The combination with means for dis Y charging gobs of molten glass,of transfer mechanism by which the gobs are transmitted alternately todifferent mold posi tions, said mechanism comprising a vertical rockshaft, a switch mounted thereon, chutes carried by said switch, means torock said shaft and thereby bring the chutes alternately into positionto receive the gobs, and stationary chutes positioned to registerrespectively with the chutes on the switch when the latter are inreceiving position.

9. The combination of means for discharging gobs of molten glass, and achute having an approximately vertical surface 011 which the gobs aredropped, whereby they strike said surface with a glancing blow, saidsurface below the point at which the glass strikes being curved towardthe horizontal to provide an inclined conveying surface for the gobs. iI

10. The combination with means for discharging molten glass, of a switchdevice comprising a plurality of means for receiving and directing theglass to different positions, said receiving and directing means beingbrought individually into operative position by the movement of theswitch, automatic means for actuating the switch, a looking device forholding the switch in a neutral position, permitting the glass to'bedischarged independently, of the switch, and means interposed betweenthe switch and its actuating means whereby the latter may conlivermolten glass, of a chute, automatic mechanism to periodically shift saidchute mto and out of a position toreceive the glass 4: ease/m and conteyit to a point of discharge, means ville, in thecounty of Vanderburg andState to hold the chute out of glass receiving posiof Indiana, this 11thday of April, 1918.

tion, and a connection between said shifting V JOSEPH B. GRAHAM.mechanism aiid the chute, permitting the 0p: Signed by RICHARD LA'FRANCEat Toledo,

5 eration of said mechanism to continue While in the county of-Lucas andState of Ohio,

the: chute is thus held. this 9th day of April, 1918.

Signed by JOSEPH B. GRAHAM at Evans- RICHARD LA FRANCE.

